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Only one thing counts in that place； hitting the same nail on the
head with the same hammer all the time。 You aren't looking at all
well。〃
Miltoun； bending to kiss her； murmured：
〃Thanks； I'm all right。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 replied Lady Casterley。 〃They don't look after you。 Was
your mother in the House？〃
〃I don't think so。〃
〃Exactly。 And what is Barbara about？ She ought to be seeing to
you。〃
〃Barbara is down with Uncle Dennis。〃
Lady Casterley set her jaw； then looking her grandson through and
through； said：
〃I shall take you down there this very day。 I shall have the sea to
you。 What do you say； Clifton？〃
〃His lordship does look pale。〃
〃Have the carriage； and we'll go from Clapham Junction。 Thomas can
go in and fetch you some clothes。 Or； better； though I dislike them；
we can telephone to your mother for a car。 It's very hot for trains。
Arrange that； please； Clifton！〃
To this project Miltoun raised no objection。 And all through the
drive he remained sunk in an indifference and lassitude which to Lady
Casterley seemed in the highest degree ominous。 For lassitude； to
her； was the strange； the unpardonable； state。 The little great
ladycasket of the aristocratic principlewas permeated to the very
backbone with the instinct of artificial energy； of that alert vigour
which those who have nothing socially to hope for are forced to
develop； lest they should decay and be again obliged to hope。 To
speak honest truth； she could not forbear an itch to run some sharp
and foreign substance into her grandson； to rouse him somehow； for
she knew the reason of his state； and was temperamentally out of
patience with such a cause for backsliding。 Had it been any other of
her grandchildren she would not have hesitated； but there was that in
Miltoun which held even Lady Casterley in check； and only once during
the four hours of travel did she attempt to break down his reserve。
She did it in a manner very soft for herwas he not of all living
things the hope and pride of her heart？ Tucking her little thin
sharp hand under his arm； she said quietly：
〃My dear； don't brood over it。 That will never do。〃
But Miltoun removed her hand gently； and laid it back on the dust
rug； nor did he answer； or show other sign of having heard。
And Lady Casterley； deeply wounded； pressed her faded lips together；
and said sharply：
〃Slower； please； Frith！〃
CHAPTER V
It was to Barbara that Miltoun unfolded； if but little； the trouble
of his spirit； lying that same afternoon under a ragged tamarisk
hedge with the tide far out。 He could never have done this if there
had not been between them the accidental revelation of that night at
Monkland； nor even then perhaps had he not felt in this young sister
of his the warmth of life for which he was yearning。 In such a
matter as love Barbara was the elder of these two。 For； besides the
motherly knowledge of the heart peculiar to most women； she had the
inherent woman…of…the…worldliness to be expected of a daughter of
Lord and Lady Valleys。 If she herself were in doubt as to the state
of her affections； it was not as with Miltoun； on the score of the
senses and the heart； but on the score of her spirit and curiosity；
which Courtier had awakened and caused to flap their wings a little。
She worried over Miltoun's forlorn case； it hurt her too to think of
Mrs。 Noel eating her heart out in that lonely cottage。 A sister so
good and earnest as Agatha had ever inclined Barbara to a rebellious
view of morals； and disinclined her altogether to religion。 And so；
she felt that if those two could not be happy apart； they should be
happy together； in the name of all the joy there was in life！
And while her brother lay face to the sky under the tamarisks； she
kept trying to think of how to console him； conscious that she did
not in the least understand the way he thought about things。 Over
the fields behind； the larks were hymning the promise of the unripe
corn； the foreshore was painted all colours； from vivid green to
mushroom pink； by the edge of the blue sea little black figures
stooped； gathering sapphire。 The air smelled sweet in the shade of
the tamarisk； there was ineffable peace。 And Barbara； covered by the
network of sunlight； could not help impatience with a suffering which
seemed to her so corrigible by action。 At last she ventured：
〃Life is short； Eusty！〃
Miltoun's answer； given without movement； startled her：
〃Persuade me that it is； Babs； and I'll bless you。 If the singing of
these larks means nothing； if that blue up there is a morass of our
invention； if we are pettily； creeping on furthering nothing； if
there's no purpose in our lives； persuade me of it； for God's sake！〃
Carried suddenly beyond her depth； Barbara could only put out her
hand； and say： 〃Oh！ don't take things so hard！〃
〃Since you say that life is short；〃 Miltoun muttered； with his smile；
〃you shouldn't spoil it by feeling pity！ In old days we went to the
Tower for our convictions。 We can stand a little private roasting； I
hope； or has the sand run out of us altogether？〃
Stung by his tone； Barbara answered in rather a hard voice：
〃What we must bear； we must； I suppose。 But why should we make
trouble？ That's what I can't stand！〃
〃O profound wisdom！〃
Barbara flushed。
〃I love Life！〃 she said。
The galleons of the westering sun were already sailing in a broad
gold fleet straight for that foreshore where the little black
stooping figures had not yet finished their toil； the larks still
sang over the unripe cornwhen Harbinger； galloping along the sands
from Whitewater to Sea House； came on that silent couple walking home
to dinner。
It would not be safe to say of this young man that he readily
diagnosed a spiritual atmosphere； but this was the less his demerit；
since everything from his cradle up had conspired to keep the
spiritual thermometer of his surroundings at 60 in the shade。 And
the fact that his own spiritual thermometer had now run up so that it
threatened to burst the bulb； rendered him less likely than ever to
see what was happening with other people's。 Yet； he did notice that
Barbara was looking pale； andit seemedsweeter than ever。。。。 With
her eldest brother he always somehow felt ill at ease。 He could not
exactly afford to despise an uncompromising spirit in one of his own
order； but he was no more impervious than others to Miltoun's
caustic； thinly…veiled contempt for the commonplace； and having a
full…blooded belief in himself…usual with men of fine physique；
whose lots are so cast that this belief can never or almost never be
really shakenhe greatly disliked the feeling of being a little
looked down on。 It was an intense relief； when； saying that he
wanted a certain magazine； Miltoun strode off into the town。
To Harbinger； no less than to Miltoun and Barbara； last night had
been bitter and restless。 The sight of that pale swaying figure；
with the parted lips； whirling round in Courtier's arms； had clung to
his vision ever since； the Ball。 During his own last dance with her
he had been almost savagely silent； only by a great effort
restraining hi